Cable clamp



m 1.931- c. w. KEMPER ET AL CABLE CLAMP Filed Feb. 4, 1930 INVENTOR.

Cl/A n45: IM kgMPE/Z eromv T, KEMPER ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 30, 1931 UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES W. KEMPERAND JOHN T. KEMIPER, OF HAY WAR-D, CALIFORNIA CABLE CLAMP Applicationfiled February 4, 1930. Serial No. 425,780.

This invention relates to cable clamps and has for its objectsimprovements in the type of clamp shown in our prior Patent No.

1,411,731 of April 4:, 1922. I

The type of clamp of the patent mentioned consists of an elongated blockopened longitudinally to receive a couple of cables 7 which it isdesired to clamp together and wedging rollers which are drawn along in-1 clined surfaces to tightly wedgethe cables together.

We have found such a clamp to be'very powerful but it has the drawbackof requiring the cables to be inserted longitudinally thus making itdifficult to apply midway on a rope for clamping another rope thereto,also it is rather costly to manufacture as it does not lend itself tosheet metal construction.

We also have several other patents on such clam s including a clamp madein halves as per atent No. 1,271,912 of July 9, 1918, but this, incommon with those of other inventions, which require longitudinalsliding together to lock the cables in place, has not been found assatisfactory as would be expected. r

In the clamp of our present invention we effect a structure which isadapted for making out of sheet steel thereby securing the utmoststrength with minimum of weight, and at the same time the clampseparates longitudinally into two pieces so that the ropes may be put infrom the side, and further, the two pieces are exactly alike so that inmanufacture of the device only half clamps are made and which may beassembled either at the factory or at the job by the workman putting theclamp in lace.

In the drawings Flg. 1 is a side view of our improved clamp shown withcables in place and clamping rollers held in released position by meansof cotter pins.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 as taken along the line 22 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 except that it shows thecables tightly clamped together and the cotters placed to the outersides of the rollers.

In further detail the clamp comprises a body generally the shape of anelongated figure 8 formed of two halves 1 and 2 which are each U-shapedin cross section and abut along a diagonal line 3 making the U muchdeeper at one end of each half than at the other.

The halves have hing loops 4, 5 respectively struck up from their edgesin such a manner that two exactly similar haves fit together with thehinge loop sodisposed and locked 66 together that they cannot pull apartlongitudinally, and pins 6 are inserted through the aligned holes of theloops so that they are rigidly locked against lateral separation withoutshearing the pins at numerous places. i I

V The pins 6 may have a head on one end as at 7 and if desired one pinmay be riveted at the other end to remain permanently in place, but atleast one should be free for withdrawal so that the remaining pin willfunction as a hinge for opening the halves 1 and 2 like a book.

The hinge loops have each a flat extended portion lylng against the sidewall of the clamp body andare preferably spot welded thereto as at 8'. r

The inner surface of the walls against which the cables" lie arepreferably scored as at 9 to roughly match the lay of the rope asindicated, while on the opposite sides at both ends of the clamp arewedging rollers 10 preferably made of chilled steel or the like andprovided with gripping ridges or teeth 16 around their circumferences,the adjacent inner surfaces of the clamp members upon which they rollbeing transversely grooved or corrugated as at 11 for gripping by therollers and drawing them along these 99, surfaces, which are enclosed,to wedge the cables together tightly with increasing force the more itis attempted to pull them out of the clamp.

To prevent loss of these rollers before ap- 5 plying the clamp, therollers are provided with short projecting axles 9 loosely retainedwithin confronting pockets 12 formed in bosses 13 stamped outward in thewalls of the clamp. The pockets are r a ive y very minate a shortdistance from the outer ends of the clamp so that the rollers cannotfall out before applying to the cables. Also, that in order to hold therollers apart we insert cotters 15 through the slots as shown in Fig. 1and after placing the clamp in position over the cables or ropes thesecotters are removed, the rollers pushed inward with a screw driver orthe like until they get a grip on the ropes, and the cotters are thenput back in the slots but at a point beyond the rollers as shown in Fig.3, thus preventing the rollers from accidentally becoming dislodgedwhile tightening the ropes.

After long use the rollers will have become so tightly wedged into placethat it is difiicult to remove them when desired to disconnect the clampand we therefore provide holes 16 in the top and bottom walls of theclamp adapted for insertion of a rod for punching out the rollers.

In considering our improvements itshould be noted that apart from theroller and pin it requires the manufacture of the half shell only andthat the various features are easily impressed into this before it isbent. into U shape, that two of these are locked together by thestaggered ears 4, that the two halves open like a book to receive thecables and that the halves may be shipped separate, each with its hingepin, roller and cotter in place without danger-of becoming lost.

It will also be evident that while our improvements directly contributeto the manufacture of such a clamp out of sheet metal,

may be cast without sacrificing any of its advantages except the lightweight of the stamped construction.

o claim:

1. A cable clamp comprising a pair of elongated shells U-shaped in crosssection arranged in confronting relation to afford apassage for aplurality of cables, means on the shells interlocking same againstlongitudinal movement and permitting lateral separation of the shells,means cooperating with both shells locking same against lateralseparation, and means within the shells for clamping the cables againstwithdrawal.

2. A cable clamp comprising a pair of elongated shells U-shaped in crosssection arranged in confronting relation to afford a passage for aplurality of cables, spaced hinge lugs along the edges ofthe shellsarranged to interlock to prevent longitudinal movement of the shells,pins passing through said hinge lugs, and means within the shells forclamping the cables against withdrawal.

3. A cable clamp comprising a pair of elongated shells U-shaped in crosssection arranged in confronting relation to afford a passage for aplurality of cables, spaced hinge lugs along the edges of the shellsarranged to interlock to prevent longitudinal movement of the shells,pins passing through said hingelugs, and means within the shells forclamping thecables against withdrawal, the said shells being duplicates,and the hinge lugs on opposite sides being complementally spaced. 7 I

4. A cable clamp comprising a pair of elongated shells U-shaped in crosssection arranged in confrontingrelation to afford a passage for aplurality of cables, spaced hinge lugs along the edges of the shellsar-' ranged to interlock to prevent longitudinal:

movement of the shells, pins passing through said hinge lugs, and meansWithin the shells for clamping the cables against withdrawal, the shellsbeing of sheet metal with the hinge lugs turned up at the edges of theshells and.

extended upon the shell sides and Welded thereto.

5. A cable clamp comprising an elongated tubular body having the generalform of a figure 8 and with a passage extending longitudinally of thebody for the reception of a pair of superimposed cables, means withinthe body clamping the cables, said body being longitudinally parted toform two complementary halves, and spaced lugs formed along the edges ofboth halves in a manner to interlock and overlap the opposite half whenthe halves are placed together.

6. 'Acable clamp comprising an elongated tubular body having the generalformof a" -figure 8 and with a passage extending longitudinally of thebody for the reception of a pair of superimposed cables-means within yetif desired the device exactly as shown the bodyclamp-ing the cables,said body being longitudinally parted to form two complementary. halves,and spaced apertured aligned lugs formed along the edges of both

